INTRODUCTION
"I never with God's grace shall do anything in private which I may not without
shame proclaim upon the tops of houses." King James I, 1603 "And there must go
much more to the making of a guilty man, than rumor." Ben Johnson, 1605

"USING THE PERSON OF KING JAMES TO ATTACK THE KING JAMES BIBLE."
"King James was a fag. How can you advocate a Bible that was translated by a
faggot?" (From an Internet chat room)

"King James was a homosexual. . . Was a bitter persecutor of our forefathers . .
. King James chose the King James translators, instructed the King James
translators, approved and disapproved portions of the translation." Baptist
evangelist J.H. Melton. Many critics of the King James Bible are deeply
condescending towards the defenders of the King James Bible. This is seen in the
statement by James White in his book, The King James Only Controversy:

"The KJV Only controversy feeds upon the ignorance among Christians regarding
the origin, transmission, and translation of the Bible. Those who have taken the
time to study this area are not likely candidates for induction into the KJV
Only camp" (White, Introduction, p.v)

But, the truth is that the defenders of the King James are often far more
educated on this subject then their critics. Many books have been published on
the issue over the last few years. Many King James Bible defenders are easily
able to shatter the often shallow attacks on the King James Bible. It is not
unusual for those who have just found their pet arguments shattered to retreat
to an argument like this. "Well, after all King James was a homosexual you
know!"

But was he? Is this just a very historically shallow, unsound repetition of
gossip and rumor or is it a historical fact? It must be admitted that many
historians report that King James was a homosexual. But what is the evidence for
such a charge? If King James was not a homosexual, his memory has been done a
great injustice.

The real King James was a very different man than the one described by the
critics of the King James Bible.

A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF KING JAMES
James was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on June 19.1566. He was the only son of
Mary, Queen of Scots. His father, Lord Darnley was killed in an explosion when
James was only eight months old. When James was one year old, his mother
abdicated the throne of Scotland and James officially became king. She never saw
her son again.

James was supervised during his childhood by several
Scottish lords. He had several tutors, all evangelical Protestants. He became
fluent in Greek, French, and Latin and received classical instruction in all
three of these languages as well as English. He was kept fairly isolated until
age 14. He developed a great fondness for books. Even as a teenager he was
recognized as a serious scholar.

James was slender and of average height. He enjoyed horseback riding and
hunting. His thin legs and narrow jaw prompted some to mock his appearance.

James opposed the attempts of the Presbyterian preachers of Scotland to control
the royal government. However, he remained in sympathy with their doctrine and
publicly supported many of their efforts.

In 1589 James was married to Anne, the daughter of Frederick II king of Denmark.
They had eight children together. When Queen Elizabeth (his mother's cousin)
died, James was next in line for the throne of England. In 1603 he was crowned
King of England. He was officially King James VI of Scotland and King James I of
England. He quickly ended the English war with Spain and England was to live in
peace during his reign.

James survived four assassination attempts, the most famous of which was the
Gunpowder Plot of 1605. A Roman Catholic agent, Guy Fawkes, had planted several
barrels of gunpowder in the basement of Parliament. He planned to blow up the
Parliament building while James was addressing the Parliament. His plot was
disclosed and defeated. The English still celebrate the survival of James and
the Parliament with a national holiday - Guy Fawkes Day.

Even though James had many opponents among the nobility and the clergy, he
remained popular among the English people. England experienced both peace and
prosperity during his rule James was a strong advocate of the doctrine of the
divine right of kings. Many Protestants felt that he took this concept much
farther in his teaching and in his pronouncements than the Scripture warranted.
However he ruled in a generally kind and benevolent manner rather than as a
royal despot His many enemies were never able to generate any grassroots support
among the people of England for their criticism of James.

The English program to colonize the Atlantic seaboard, begun under Queen
Elizabeth, was strengthened under the influence of King James. Jamestown, the
first enduring English settlement in the new world, was named after King James.
King James's most conspicuous claims to fame were the formation of Great Britain
(England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland under one throne) and the sponsorship of
the King James translation of the Bible.

Even King James's most loyal supporters acknowledged that he was sometimes
unwise in his selection of advisors and cabinet ministers. Historian George
McCauely wrote:".... . he could never tell a good man from a rogue or a wise man
from a fool." As a result, he was surrounded by plots and intrigues, especially
the last few years of his life. In 1625 King James passed away peacefully at his
country estate in Hertfordshire.

THE ORIGINS OF THE ATTACK ON KING JAMES
There is no record of anyone accusing King James of homosexual behavior during
his lifetime. If you read most modern historians, you would believe that King
James's homosexuality was open and widely recognized but this is far from the
truth. There are absolutely no contemporary accounts alleging homosexuality on
King James's part though there are contemporary accounts praising him for his
moral virtue.

Sir Anthony Welden was an officer in the royal household of King James. He was
knighted by King James in 1617. He was eventually dismissed from the royal court
by King James. He vowed to get revenge!

He supported the anti-monarchy forces during the English Civil War. Twenty-five
years after the death of King James, (one year after the execution of Charles I,
King James's son) Welden made the first accusations of homosexuality against
King James. His statements were widely rejected at the time because there were
still too many living people who had known King James personally and who
dismissed the allegations as ridiculous.

Disgruntled courtiers and political opponents picked up the allegations against
King James and began to use innuendo to hurt his reputation. While not accusing
him directly of homosexuality, they tried to create questions about his
loyalties to his close friends and associates. These seventeenth century critics
seem to fall into two groups. Some had their political and personal ambitions
thwarted by King James. Others opposed his policy of uniting Scotland and
England into one kingdom. All of these allegations come from people with a
strong bias against James and they all were made a long time after his death.

Some historians began to repeat these attacks against King James without
investigation. Soon vague allegations, rumor, innuendo and speculations were
reported as historical fact. While some historians have sifted through the
rumors to get the facts, many just repeated the statements of previous
historians without any examination.

In the eighteenth century the primary reporters of King
James's homosexuality, were those who opposed the union of Great Britain and
also Roman Catholics who resented the support that James gave Protestants. In
the twentieth century two different groups have clung to the allegations about
King James and propagated them in defiance of the facts.

Homosexual activists have been determined to claim King
James as one of their own. These are the same activists who claim that Abraham
Lincoln, William Shakespeare, the Biblical King David and Jonathan and even
Jesus Christ were really homosexuals. Historical facts means nothing to these
people. They care only about their political and social agenda. It is a travesty
when evangelicals quote their books as credible sources. The second group which
refuses to be persuaded by the facts about King James are those who wish to use
King James's supposed homosexuality to discredit the King James Bible.

In 1985, Moody Monthly magazine alerted the evangelical world to the allegations
that King James was a homosexual. These charges came in an article entitled The
Real King James by Karen Ann Wojahn. No evidence was provided. The article was
accompanied by The Bible That Bears His Name by Leslie Keylock, This article was
an attack on the King James Bible. Numerous attempts have been made to get Moody
Monthly to either document or withdraw the charges made in these articles but
fourteen years later neither has been done.

Despite the lack of evidence (and in spite of the evidence to the contrary) some
evangelicals are quick to use the baseless accusations against King James to
bolster their attacks on the King James Bible. But facts are contrary things!
King James never claimed to be a homosexual. He was never accused of being one
during his life time. No one ever claimed to see James in a homosexual
situation. The accusations against him, past and present, stem from bias and not
from fact. The character and record of King James clearly refutes the charges of
homosexuality against King James.

CONTEMPORARY REFERENCES TO THE MORAL CHARACTER OF KING
JAMES
In 1602, Sir Henry Wotton wrote of King James, "... Among his good qualities
none shines more brightly than the chasteness of his life, which he has
preserved without stain down to the present time contrary to the example of
almost all his ancestors. ." Sir Edward Coke, the famous English jurist was a
contemporary of King James. He was often a political opponent of King James.
Historian Jasper Ridley called Sir Edward the leader of the "lawyers opposition"
to the king. He had been appointed by James as the chief justice of the Court of
the King's Bench. A number of his judicial rulings went against the king. He
considered himself the defender of the English common law against the doctrine
of the divine right of kings. James eventually had him dismissed from the
English high court.

In his legal commentary, Coke maintained the common law position about
homosexuality, "Buggery is a detestable and abominable sin, ... Against the
ordinances of the Creator and the order of nature." Coke was no friend of
homosexuality and no political ally of the king. Yet in reference to the
personal character of King James he wrote "and I knowing the sincerity of his
(James's) justice, (for which he is the most renowned king in the Christian
world)..."

Sir Arthur Wilson was a historian during the time of James. He opposed James and
the concept of the monarchy. He wrote harshly about James in some areas.
However, in his Dictionary of National Biography he has these references to King
James. He states that James's life was "decidedly pure" and "his own life was
pure." He also stated that James did not "come into conflict with the
Presbyterian clergy" in the area of "morality." The Presbyterian preachers had
opposed his mother, Mary Queen of Scots, on the grounds of her adulteries. They
found no reason to oppose King James on moral grounds.

Bishop Godfrey Goodman lived during the time of King James. He publicly preached
against moral sins. He opposed King James and was denied opportunities for
advancement by King James. James suspected him of sympathy towards Roman
Catholicism. However, when Anthony Weldon began to question James' morality,
Bishop Goodman refuted him. According to English historian Charles Williams,
Goodman wrote, "the king himself was a very chaste man."

It is a rare political leader whose morality and virtue is praised even by his
contemporary opponents.

Dr. Miles Smith was chosen by the King James translators to write the preface to
the King James Bible. "The Translators to the Readers." In this preface he says
very complimentary things about King James. Some have suggested that this was
simply the custom of the times and other have questioned the sincerity of the
translators because of these comments. In reality these were devout Bible
believing men who were not afraid to disagree with the king. Many of them spoke
publicly against King James's position on the divine right of kings. Had there
been any reason to believe that he was a homosexual they would have openly
condemned him for it. Yet their estimate of his spiritual character and moral
leadership is reflected in statements such as these. From the preface to the
King James Bible:

"Great and manifold were the blessings, most dread sovereign which Almighty God,
the Father of all mercies, bestowed upon us the people of England, when he first
sent your Majesty's Royal Person to rule and reign over us." The preface also
praises King James for "maintaining the truth of Christ, and propagating it far
and near is that which hath so bound and firmly knit the hearts of all your
majesty's loyal and religious people unto you, that your very name is precious
among them. Their eye doth behold you with comfort, and they bless you in their
hearts, as that sanctified Person, who, under God is the immediate author of
their true happiness."

The Puritans were not frightened, helpless preachers who were scared into
praising a wicked monarch When James's son, Charles I, became king, the Puritans
thundered against his perceived immoralities like John the Baptist against
Herod. Yet they had nothing but praise for King James's moral and spiritual
character.

Not all historians have blindly repeated the slander against King James. Issac
Disracli (1863) wrote:

"Perhaps no sovereign has suffered more by that art, which is described by an
old Irish proverb of killing a man by lies, the surmises and the insinuations of
one party, dissatisfied with the established government... the misconceptions of
more modern writers... And the anonymous libels ... viliy the Stuarts. These
cannot be treasured as authorities of history." Much can be substantiated in
favor of the domestic affections and habits of this pacific monarch: and those
who are more intimately acquainted with the secret history of the times will
perceive how erroneously the personal character of this sovereign is exhibited
in our popular historians, and often even among the few who, with better
information, have re-echoed their preconceived opinions.

In 1891, F.A. Inderwick wrote (Side Lights on the Stuarts) about King James:
"I think only justice to say, that much of scurrilous abuse to which he has been
subjected appears to be without warrant, and that he was personally a man of
good moral character, a quality which he was probably much indebted to the
strict and careful training he received from his Presbyterian tutors.

Historian Robert Chambers (1830) published two volumes on the life of King
James. Chambers calls him "greatly loved and greeted", and "very much beloved by
his people." He also calls him a "monarch whose character was good." He also
says that his "conduct was every thing that could be expected of a good
Christian." Historian Samuel Rawson Gardiner wrote of King James, "His own life
was virtuous and upright."

KING JAMES OWN STATEMENTS ON HOMOSEXUALITY
King James book Basilicon Doron (the Kingly Gift) was written in 1599. It
contained instructions to his son about how to properly carry out the
responsibilities of the king. Included among his instructions is this statement:
"there are some horrible crimes that ye are bound in conscience never to
forgive: such as witchcraft, willful murder, incest and sodomv..."

In July of 1610 James was asked to pardon a number of criminals. He did pardon
several on the list but refused to pardon those convicted of sodomy. He advised
his son to stay away from "effeminate ones." James repeatedly referred to
homosexuality as the "horrible crime!" These are indeed strange statements from
someone given to homosexuality. James routinely listed homosexuality with
witchcraft and murder just as the Bible does).

The King James Version translation of the Bible, which was sponsored by King
James, does not in any way weaken the Biblical statements about homosexuality.
Modem English translations like the RSV and the NIV weaken or delete Biblical
statements condemning homosexuality. The King James Bible is clear in reflecting
the Bibles' strong statements condemning homosexuality.

KING JAMES MARRIAGE AND MORAL TEACHING ABOUT MARRIAGE
King James was married to Anne of Denmark in 1589. They remained married until
her death in 1619. King James's modern critics say that this means nothing since
homosexual rulers have often maintained wives for public appearance's sake.
However, King James spent much time with his wife (more than most monarchs), was
openly affectionate to her in public and wrote her many love poems and sonnets.
He greatly mourned her passing. More significantly James and Anne had eight
children together.

The unmarried Puritan preacher John Rainolds questioned the use of the phrase
"with my body I thee worship" in the standard English wedding ceremony. King
James openly teased him about this. He said, "Many a man speaks of Robin Hood
who never shot his bow; if you had a good wife yourself, you would think that
all the honor and worship you could do her would be well bestowed." He then
spoke of his queen as "our dearest bedfellow."

In 1603 James wrote the following to Anne:

"...I thank God I carry that love and respect unto you which, by the law of God
and nature, I ought to do to my wife and mother of my children. . . For the
respect of your honorable earth and descent I married you; but the love and
respect I now bear you for that ye are my married wife and so partaker of my
honour, as of all my other fortunes... Where ye were a king's or cook's daughter
ye must be all alike to me being one my wife."

D.H. Wilson wrote the following about King James's love poems to his wife:
"He remained infatuated with his bride, whose praises he sang in sonnets and in
other verse. Her beauty, he wrote, has caused his love,
'Long smoldering as fire hidden among coals, to burst into sudden blaze.'
She inspires his verse, and her approbation spurs him to preserve, though
government brings stormy cares. But she is a sweet physician who can soothe and
cure his ills."

In fact, James did something almost unique for a royal monarch. He taught that
the king should be a moral person, faithful to his wife and should set a moral
example for his people. It was common for kings to have a number of mistresses.
In France the king's mistress was considered an official member of the royal
court. In fact the lack of mistresses in King James's Court is often used as
proof that he was a homosexual. However a lack of mistresses is also a sign of a
godly man leading a clean moral life.

James further writes:
"Marriage is one of the greatest actions that a man does all his time." "When
you are married, keep inviolably your promise made to God in your marriage,
which all stands in doing of one thing. And abstaining from another, to treat
her in all things as your wife and the half of yourself, and to make your body
(which then is no more yours but property hers) common with none other. I trust
I need not to insist there to dissuade you from filthy vice of adultery remember
only what solemn promise you made to God at your marriage." And for your
behavior to your wife, the Scripture can best give you counsel therein. Treat
her as your own flesh, command her as her lord, cherish her as your helper, rule
her as your pupil, please her in all things reasonable, but teach her not to be
curious in things that belong not to her. You are the head, she is your body, it
is your office to command and hers to obey, but yet with such a sweet harmony as
she should be as ready to obey as you to command, as willing to follow as you to
go before, your love being wholly knit unto her, and all her affections lovingly
bent to follow your will."

James repeatedly taught the importance of morality and marriage. James wrote in
Basilicon Doron:

"But the principal blessing that you can get of good company will stand, in your
marrying of a godly and virtuous wife. . . being flesh of your flesh and bone of
your bone. . . Marriage is the greatest earthlv felicity. .. without the
blessing of God you cannot look for a happy marriage."

James instructed his son:
"Keep your body clean and unpolluted while you give it to your wife whom to only
it belongs for how can you justly crave to be joined with a Virgin if your body
be polluted? Why should the one half be clean, and other defiled? And suppose I
know, fornication is thought but a venial sin by the most part of the world, yet
remember well what I said to you in my first book regarding conscience, and
count every sin and breach of God's law, not according as the vain world esteems
of it, but as God judge and maker of the law accounts of the same: hear God
commanding by the mouth of Paul to abstain from fornication, declaring that the
fornicator shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven, and by the mouth of John
reckoning out fornication among other grievous sins that declares the commiters
among dogs and swine." James notes the end thereof is a "man given over to his
own filthy affections."

Because of King James's strong moral teaching and personal example, Disraeli
wrote: "James had formed the most elevated conception of the virtues and duties
of a monarch." Few English monarchs used the moral authority of the throne to
teach morality and demonstrate it by example. Those who did, like King James and
Queen Victoria, generated great resentment from those who were convicted by
their moral teachings. In both cases, after their death, their enemies attacked
them with vicious moral slanders. The real King James was an outstanding moral
example and a clear moral teacher. In neither case was there any evidence to
back up their accusations. King James pointed out how many civil wars were
started by the illegitimate sons of kings. He pointed out how many innocent
lives could have been saved if kings had been moral people.

MISUNDERSTOOD CUSTOMS OF THE TIME
King James's critics ask: isn't it true that King James publicly kissed men on
the cheek and called men affectionate names like darling and sweetheart? Didn't
men routinely sleep at night in his bed? Didn't King James often lean on male
members of the royal household? These allegations are true. Similar evidence is
also used by modern homosexual activists to assert that William Shakespeare (a
contemporary of King James) was a homosexual. But this is all a misreading of
the customs of the time.

Assassination of royalty was a common event and it was a
customary thing for kings to have bodyguards sleep in their bed. No one accuses
the promiscuous, womanizer, Henry VIII of being anything but a heterosexual. Yet
he routinely slept with bodyguards in the royal bed. King James survived two
kidnappings and four violent attempts on his life. Such experiences did nothing
to cause King James to break with the normal procedure of always keeping his
bodyguards close at hand. In sharing his bed with royal bodyguards, King James
was only following the normal practice of the royalty of his time.

Terms of affection like "sweetheart" and "darling" were normal terms used
between men in the seventeenth century in England. In Psalm 22:20, God the
Father calls Christ the Son "My Darling." He does so again in Psalm 35:17. In
the 1990's African - American women routinely called each other "girlfriend."
This is not a homosexual term but a normal expression of the time. Anyone who
presents the use of terms like "sweetheart" and "darling" as proof of
homosexuality in seventeenth century England is a very shallow historian (or has
a very vulgar mind). King James (or for that matter William Shakespeare) does
not deserve such treatment.

Men kissing men as a form of greeting was a common innocent custom in
seventeenth century England (just as it is in twentieth century France).

Erasmus wrote of the English:
"Wherever you come, you are received with a kiss by all; when you take your
leave, you are dismissed with kisses: you return, kisses are repeated, They come
to visit you, kisses again: they leave you, you kiss them all round. Should they
meet you anywhere kisses in abundance: in fine, wherever you move, there is
nothing but kisses."

Before evil minded men are quick to present this as proof of homosexuality,
perhaps they should remember that this was also a common custom in Bible times:
"Greet ye one another with a holy kiss." I Corinthians 16:20 (see also Luke
7:45, Romans 16:16, II Corinthians 13:12, I Thessalonians 5:26.1 Peter 5:14,
Acts 20:37).

Because of the weakness of his legs James often leaned on members of the royal
staff as he was dealing with official business. Such a position is not unusual
for a king (II Kings 7:2,17). John leaned on Jesus (John 13:23, 21:20).
Homosexual activists try to claim this as proof of homosexuality on the part of
Jesus but Bible believers are quick to see through such foolishness, (Titus
1:15). Anyone interested in the truth would be willing to understand King
James's behavior in the light of the customs of the day.

WAS KING JAMES A SAVED MAN?
James was around the preaching of the gospel and the teaching of evangelical
theology from his early childhood. His coronation sermon was delivered by
Reformation leader John Knox. Puritan theologian George Buchanan was one of
James's early tutors and later dedicated a doctrines textbook to him.

Historian Robert Chambers described James's Biblical knowledge this way, "He was
deeply read in Scripture; he could quote its texts with great facility; knew it
even with philological exactness." James wrote to a friend and said, "Praying
God that as you are regenerated and born in him anew, so you may rise to him and
be sanctified in him forever." In his writings James often refers to salvation
as a free gift, salvation by faith and regeneration. He refers to one day
receiving "white garments washed in the blood of the lamb."

In only one area does James ever seem to differ doctrinally with his Scottish
Presbyterian tutors - the doctrine of civil government.

James was trained by evangelical Christians, claimed to be an evangelical
Christian, wrote about evangelical doctrine and was accepted as a saved man by
the born again Christians of his time. Nothing documented in his life gives
anyone reason to question his salvation. In fact the real King James showed an
interest in morality and holiness that is almost unique among the royalty of the
period. James wrote "Holiness being the first and most requisite quality of a
Christian (as proceeding from true fear and knowledge of God)."

There is no legitimate reason to question James's salvation. The real King James
was a professing Christian with a good testimony.

KING JAMES'S ROLE IN SPONSORING THE KING JAMES
TRANSLATION
From January 14-18, 1604 A.D., the leaders of the Church of England met at
Hampton Court in London. This meeting was called by King James. The Church of
England was divided into three main factions. The Anglo-Catholic faction wanted
to keep all the trappings and much of the doctrine of Roman Catholicism without
acknowledging the authority of the Pope. The Protestant faction wanted the
church of England to be the state Protestant Church like the Lutheran in Germany
and the Reformed Church in Switzerland.

The Puritans were the most thoroughly evangelical and Biblically oriented of the
three groups. They wanted a complete break with Catholicism and a greater degree
of independence for local churches.

The three factions were at considerable odds with each other. King James
attempted to moderate between the different factions. John Rainolds,
representing the Puritans, made a formal request that King James sponsor a new
English translation. The Bishop of London opposed this suggestion but John
Rainolds eventually persuaded King James to give his blessing! Because of this
Rainolds is remembered as the Father of the King James Bible.

King James became the first earthly monarch to successfully sponsor and
encourage the distribution of the entire Word of God in the daily language of
his people. (King Alfred had made an attempt to get part of the Scripture into
the language of the people of England centuries earlier).

William Tyndale, the Father of the English Bible, had been used of God to bring
an early translation of the Bible in English to the English people. For this
crime he was declared to be a heretic and was burned at the stake. His last
words were "Lord, open the King of England's eyes." Now a born again English
king was sponsoring an English Bible, produced openly on English soil for
English churches and English Christians. King James appointed 54 learned
men to make "one more exact translation of the Bible." Later others would be
invited to join them. King James encouraged financial gifts to this project and
set the example by agreeing to underwrite the salary of several of the
translators himself.

Even though the official name for this translation would be the Authorized
Version, it was soon known as the King James Bible. It was uniquely made
possible and promoted by the King of England - King James. Laymen now had no
fear of owning their own Bible - it was sponsored by the King for them.

THE LITERARY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND SCHOLARSHIP OF KING
JAMES
King James was fluent in Greek, Latin and French. He wrote a number of books and
pamphlets on a wide variety of subjects. In his book Great Britain's Solomon
Maurice Lee, Jr. wrote: "It would be difficult to imagine a more absorbing
companion than this intelligent, learned, witty Scot, an author who wrote on
subjects as diverse as theology, tobacco, witchcraft and the theory and practice
of kingship and who was a poet to boot. And a king - a king almost from birth in
his native Scotland, for forty of his forty-nine years and of England and
Ireland for twenty-two. And be it said at once a successful king."

King James did his own private translation of Psalms. He also wrote a commentary
on the book of Revelation and a series of devotionals on the Lord's Prayer.

Tobacco use began in England during the time of King James. Tobacco was being
introduced from England's new American colonies. King James wrote a small book
about tobacco and condemned both the smoking and chewing of tobacco as a
disgusting habit. He wrote that ". . . a smoker and a non- smoker cannot be
equally free in the same room." James wrote a book entitled Demonology.
This book enraged the witches of England because it attributed their
supernatural powers to demon possession. They swore their eternal hatred of
James.

James wrote often about moral matters including homosexuality. There is
absolutely nothing in his writings to give evidence to the moral charges against
King James and there is much to refute them.

King James wrote more books than any royal monarch of any nation. As a result he
is the most often quoted royal monarch of all time. The real King James was a
respected scholar and an influential author.

KING JAMES POLITICAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
King James was the first British monarch to bear the title "sacred majesty."
King James united Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland under one royal throne.
This created the United Kingdom. How different the world might have been if the
United Kingdom had not had the strength to resist first the German fascists and
then the Russian communists in the twentieth century.

The leadership of King James was essential in planting an enduring English
presence in the Western Hemisphere. These humble beginnings would lead to the
foundation of the United States of America. Again, how different the world would
have been in the twentieth century had the United States not been Great
Britain's indispensable partner in resisting both fascism and communism in the
twentieth century.

Certainly all the credit cannot be given to King James for the strength and
development of the United Kingdom and the United States but he played an
important and positive role in the history of each.

One of James's contemporaries described his rule this way: "... for he lived in
peace, died in peace and left all his kingdoms in a peaceable condition."

James is also credited with ending torture as a part of the English legal
system. He also replaced burning at the stake as a means of execution.

When James became King it was a common thing for Baptists (among others) to be
executed by the state for being religious nonconformists. This continued through
the early years of the reign of King James but he put an end to this policy in
1612. He wrote,

"I will never allow in my conscience that the blood of any man shall be shed for
diversity of opinions in religion."

The peace and prosperity enjoyed by England during James's rule would be a
credit to any civil ruler. Upon his death in 1625 James was compared (in his
funeral sermon) to King Solomon.

"King Solomon is said to be Brigentus Corm Matre Sua, the only son of his
mother, Proverbs 4:3. So was King James. Solomon had a complexion white and
ruddy, Song of Solomon 5:10. So was King James. Solomon was an infant king, Pver
Parvulus, a little child, I Chronicles 22:5 - So was King James, a King at the
age of 13 months. Solomon began his reign in the life of his predecessor, I
Kings 1:32, so by the force and compulsion of the state (Scotland) did our late
sovereign King James. Solomon was twice crowned and anointed a King. I
Chronicles 29:22 - so was King James. Solomon's minority was rough, through the
quarrels of the former sovereign; so was that of King James. Solomon learned
above all the princes of the East, I Kings 4:20. So was King James. Above all
the princes of the universal world. Solomon was a writer in prose and verse, I
Kings 4:32 - so in a very pure and exquisite manner was our sweet sovereign King
James. Solomon was the greatest patron we ever read to church and churchman and
yet no greater (let the house of Aaron now confess then King James). Solomon was
honored with ambassadors from all Kings of the earth, I Kings 4- And so you know
was King James... Solomon died in peace, when he had lived about 60 years and so
you know did King James."

Sir Fernando Gorges one of the founders of Jamestown, also compared James to
Solomon. "This great monarch gloriously ascending his throne (1603) being born
to greatness above his ancestors to whom all submitted as to another Solomon for
wisdom and justice."

KING JAMES - UNJUSTLY ACCUSED
Almost half of the information in this monograph comes from one source - the
book King James the VI of Scotland and The I of England Unjustly Accused. This
book was written by Stephen Coston Sr. and published in 1996. It is 392 pages in
length. This book does a masterful job of refuting the moral accusations against
King James. Coston's work is unanswerable.

This book may be obtained by writing:
Stephen Alexander Coston, Sr.
7245 34th Avenue North
St. Petersburg, FL 33710

CONCLUSION
King James spoke eloquently of the role of the King as a moral example:

"But it is not enough to be a good king, by the thralldom of good laws will
execute to govern his people, if he joins not therewith his virtuous life in his
own person and in the person of his court and company by his good example
alluring his subjects to the love of virtue and hatred of vice ..."

King James believed his servant John Gibb had lost some important papers. In his
anger he kicked him. Later he found out that Gibb had not lost them. In a
display of humility, almost unheard of for a royal monarch, he knelt before Gibb
and begged his forgiveness.

As historian Steven Coston Sr. says "James was, no matter what tales some may
tell, a virtuous man of good intentions, who did the best he could as God gave
him strength."